Rocks & Minerals - Core Knowledge

[Pages:39]Rocks & Minerals

Grade Level or Special Area: Fourth Grade

Written by:

Janet Child, John Hancock Charter School, Pleasant Grove, UT and

Laura Wirsig, Belle Creek Charter School, Brighton, CO

Length of Unit:

Six lessons, approximately ten days, 45 - 60 minutes per day

I. ABSTRACT

A. This unit is an in-depth look at the formation of metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks. The students will use science, language arts, class discussions, activities, and math skills to come to an understanding of how rocks are formed, changed, and used today. This unit uses a variety of approaches to learning, including writing, modeling, experimenting, measuring, and testing.

II. OVERVIEW

A. Concept Objectives

1. Students understand the processes and interactions of Earth's systems and the

structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space. (Colorado Model

Content Standard #4)

2. Students understand common properties, forms, and changes in matter and

energy. (Colorado Model Content Standard #2)

3. Students understand the processes of scientific investigation and design, conduct,

communicate about and evaluate such investigations. (Colorado Model Content

Standard #1)

B. Content from the Core Knowledge Sequence

1. Fourth Grade Science, Geology: The Earth and Its Changes ( pg. 105)

a. Rocks

i.

Formation and characteristics of metamorphic, igneous, and

sedimentary rock.

ii. Minerals are non-living solids found in nature made of elements. (not

in Core Knowledge Sequence)

iii. Rocks are made of minerals. (not in Core Knowledge Sequence)

iv. Testing strategies for classifying minerals (not in Core Knowledge

Sequence)

D. Skill Objectives

1. The student will describe the differences between minerals and rocks.

2. The student will sort minerals by shape and color using a magnifying glass.

3. The student will record observations on charts with existing column headings.

4. The student will identify properties of minerals and be able to identify certain

minerals using specific tests.

5. The student will create a model of how metamorphic rocks are formed.

6. The student will create a story using facts about igneous rocks.

7. The student will describe how an igneous rock is formed.

8. The student will demonstrate how sedimentary layers of rock are formed.

9. The student will identify places where layers of sedimentary rock formed.

10. The student will compare and contrast metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary

rocks.

11. The student will identify ways metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks are

used today.

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III. BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

A. For Teachers 1. First Field Guide Rocks and Minerals, National Audubon Society 2. Rocks, Gems, and Mineral,. Sita, Lisa

B. For Students 1. Linear Measure in cm (Core Knowledge Sequence p. 102) 2. Weight in grams (Core Knowledge Sequence p. 102) 3. Ability to do research on the internet 4. Volcanoes (Second grade Core Knowledge pg 39) 5. Important minerals in the earth (such as quartz, gold, sulfur, coal, diamond, iron ore.) (Second grade Core Knowledge pg. 39)

IV. RESOURCES

A. Samples of metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks. (attainable through FOSS; USGS in Colorado or 1-888-275-8747; or using a field guide samples may be collected around your home

V. LESSONS

Lesson One: Minerals vs. Rocks (approximately 45 minutes)

A. Daily Objectives

1. Concept Objective(s)

a.

Students know and understand the processes and interactions of Earth's

systems and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in

space. (CMCS #4)

2. Lesson Content

a.

Geology: The Earth and Its Changes

i.

Minerals are non-living solids found in nature made of elements. (not

in Core Knowledge Sequence)

ii. Rocks are made of minerals. (not in Core Knowledge Sequence)

3. Skill Objective(s)

a.

The student will describe the differences between minerals and rocks.

b. The student will sort shapes and colors of the minerals using a

magnifying glass.

c.

The student will list characteristics of rocks.

d. The student will list characteristics of minerals.

B. Materials

For every student or group of students

1. Mock Rocks (see list of ingredients in Appendix A)

2. Appendix B : Mineral vs. Rock Data Sheet (one copy per student)

3. Paper plate

4. Large nail

5. Hand lens

6. Crayons or colored pencils

7. Piece of string

8. Metric Ruler

9. 50-ml graduated cylinder

10. Evaporation dish

11. Medicine dropper

12. One small bottle (such as baby food jars or spice bottles)

13. One scale per class

C. Key Vocabulary

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1. Mineral: a non-living substance found in nature but has the same chemical make-up throughout

2. Solid: state of matter that has a shape and hardness 3. Geologist: person who studies the earth 4. Mock: imitate or copy 5. Diameter: a straight line passing through the center of a circle 6. Circumference: the length around a circle 7. Depth: distance from top to bottom or from front to back 8. Weight: the amount of heaviness of a person or thing D. Procedures/Activities

Prepare mock rocks a week before beginning the unit (See Appendix A)

1. Ask students if they can name any minerals. If they can't list any give them examples from things they see in nature. (e.g. tree sap ? amber, ice, fluoride ? fluorite, graphite ? pencil, etc.) If possible show examples. Explain that minerals are pure substances made up of only one mineral.

2. Explain that geologists study the earth. One thing that they study is rock. Geologists must make detailed observations of the rocks they discover. Ask students what they might observe about rocks (texture, shape, color, smell, size.) Tell students that these are the properties of the rock. Explain to students that rocks are made up of more than one type of mineral.

3. Show students a mock rock. Tell them that they are going to investigate this mock rock. To mock means to imitate or copy. This rock imitates the properties of a real rock.

4. Explain that geologists try to figure out what kind of rock they are examining. They do this by identifying the various ingredients in the rock. These ingredients are called minerals. The various materials in the mock rock represent different minerals. The goal of the student is to identify each material as a different mineral.

5. Distribute a mock rock to every pair of students. Have them investigate the rock, recording all the properties they observe on their data sheet. (Appendix B) Tell the students to fill out data sheet as you go through the activity together in class.

6. Draw the mock rock and label its parts. 7. Examine the mock rock with the hand lens. Have students explain what they see

and complete their measurements to fill in the chart. 8. Break the mock rock in half. Students should use a nail to separate all the

different ingredients, sorting them into different piles. List the ingredients on the data sheet. Include descriptions of colors, shapes, and textures. (If the mock rock is very hard, place it in a plastic bag between padding and use a hammer to break it up. Be careful not to pulverize the shells.) 9. Explain that rocks are made up of more than one ingredient, including different minerals. The colored gravel could represent different kinds of minerals. The shells are not observable without breaking the rocks open. They could represent fossils imbedded in some kind of rock. Explain that these rocks are called sedimentary rocks and that you will be discussing what sedimentary rocks are later in the unit. 10. Ask students to describe the leftover material that is too small to be separated with a nail. Ask for ideas on how they might further separate these small pieces. Suggest they might mix this material with water. 11. Collect and clean up mock rock materials.

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12. Pass out Rock vs. Mineral Assessment sheet (Appendix C). Have student complete sheet and write what the difference is between a rock and a mineral. Using everyday objects, sort into groups of rocks or minerals and explain why the object was placed in the category.

13. Collect Assessment sheet. 14. Assign students to bring in a rock from home for lesson two. 15. Possible Extensions/Adaptations/Integration: In language arts, help the

students build vocabulary and become more precise in their descriptions of the minerals and various components of rocks and mock rocks. For example, texture is gritty, rough, smooth, or powdery. Colors are not just white, what shade of white? Grey-white, eggshell white, golden-yellow, lemon-yellow, speckled, banded, spotted, or streaks? Shapes include faces, edges, cubes, rectangular prisms, and other geometric terms. E. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Satisfactory completion of Appendix C

Lesson Two: Exploring Minerals (two days, approximately 45 minutes per day)

A. Daily Objectives

1. Concept Objective(s)

a.

Students understand the processes of scientific investigation and design,

conduct, communicate about, and evaluate such investigations. (CMCS

#1)

2. Lesson Content

a.

Geology: The Earth and Its Changes

i.

Testing strategies for classifying minerals (Not in the Core

Knowledge Sequence)

3. Skill Objective(s)

a.

The student will record observations on charts with existing column

headings.

b. The student will identify properties of minerals and be able to identify

certain minerals using specific tests.

B. Materials

1. Have each student bring in a rock (note: have some on hand for those who

forget)

2. Hand lens for each student

3. Hardness Rating Sheet for each student (Appendix D)

4. Set of four numbered minerals for groups of four students (e.g., 1-Flourite, 2-

Gypsum, 3-Calcite, 4-Quartz) Rock samples are available in the FOSS kits or at

USGS in Colorado ( or 1-888-275-8747). You may use a field

guide to help you collect rocks around your home.

5. Penny, paper clip, nail for each group of four students

6. Copy of Mohs Hardness Scale (Appendix E)

C. Key Vocabulary

1. Hardness: how easily a substance is scratched or dented

2. Luster: how shiny a material is

D. Procedures/Activities

Day 1

1. Review rocks and minerals. Ask: "What is the difference between rocks and

minerals?" Have students retrieve their rocks. Ask: "How can you tell that

these rocks are made of more than one material?"

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2. Have students compare their rocks with neighbors. How are the rocks the same? How are they different?

3. Have students examine their rocks with a hand lens. How many different minerals can they see in the rocks? What determines differences? Guide them to a discussion of color, texture, and luster (how shiny a material is). NOTE: It would be helpful to have a set of minerals to look at while they are looking at their rocks.

4. Tell the students they are going to have the opportunity to examine some minerals to see if they can identify them by their properties. Put the students in groups of four and give each group a set of four numbered minerals. Have them write a thorough description of each mineral. Tell them to be sure to include properties of color, texture, and luster (how shiny a material is) for each mineral. Allow about ten minutes for this activity.

5. Follow with a class discussion of mineral properties. Write Mineral 1, Mineral 2, Mineral 3, and Mineral 4 on the board and have groups offer characteristics of each mineral. Ask, "What if I was to ask you to hold up the mineral that is white? Which one would you hold up? What if I were to ask you to hold up the rough one? The shiny one? Students may point out that more than one mineral has each of those properties. Draw their attention to the board. (Words such as shiny, rough, and white should appear numerous times.) Tell the students they will perform one more test to identify these minerals.

6. Before beginning the scratch test, ask each group to predict which mineral they think is the hardest. Record the predictions on the board. Give each group a penny, a paper clip (have them pull the paper clip apart to make it straight), and a nail. Hand out the Hardness Rating Sheet (Appendix D) to all students and explain how to use it. Give the group time to test the mineral.

7. After they have tested the minerals and placed X's in the proper places on their Hardness Rating Sheets, give each group a copy of the Mohs Hardness Scale (Appendix E) and have them use it to determine the name of each mineral in its appropriate place on their sheets. They should then finish the sheet by writing the minerals' name in order of hardness (hardest to softest) on the sheet.

8. Have a class discussion and write on the chart tablet each group's list of minerals in the order they determined. How many were correct in their predictions?

9. Collect supplies and recap lesson orally.

Day 2

10. Pass out Rubric for oral report (Appendix F). 11. In the school computer lab have the students work in pairs. Assign or let each

pair choose one mineral of their choice. They should collect information to create an oral presentation on that mineral. They will report to the class the mineral's name, description, and use. Their presentation should use visual aids, such as pictures (drawn or printed). Note: You could have the students work in small groups of 3 to 4 if time is a premium. Students with a home computer could research some part and report back to the group. Have some books available to aid with identification. 12. If school does not have computer lab, you may bring in books or have students take their mineral home to gather information. 13. Special needs students may draw the minerals and/or verbally describe them to other students who can scribe for them. E. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Students Hardness Rating Sheets: Is information accurate and complete? 2. Observation Check List during collaborative group work. (Appendix G)

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3. Oral Presentations Rubric (Appendix F)

Lesson Three: Metamorphic Rocks (approximately 35-45 minutes)

A. Daily Objectives

1. Concept Objective(s)

a. Students will understand the processes and interactions of Earth's

systems and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in

space.

b. Students understand common properties, forms, and changes in matter

and energy.

2. Lesson Content

a. Rocks

i.

Formation and characteristics of metamorphic rocks. (Adapted

from Core Knowledge Sequence pg. 105)

3. Skill Objective(s)

a.

The student will create a model of how metamorphic rocks are formed.

B. Materials

1. Changing Rocks worksheet (see Appendix H), one per student

2. Changing Rocks activity sheet (see Appendix I)

3. One piece of white paper per student

4. Gray, green, red and black crayons per student or group of students

5. One pair of scissors per student

6. One bottle of glue per student or group of students

C. Key Vocabulary

1. Metamorphic Rock: rock that changes form by heat and pressure in the Earth's

crust

2. Marble: a metamorphic rock that is formed when heat and pressure are applied

to limestone

3. Slate: a metamorphic rock that is formed when heat and pressure are applied to

shale

4. Quartzite: a metamorphic rock that is formed when heat and pressure are applied

to sandstone

D. Procedures/Activities

1. Begin by telling the class that there are three types of rocks. Ask them if they

know what those types of rocks are. (Metamorphic, Igneous, Sedimentary) Write

the types of rocks on the board. Explain to the class that they will learn about

Igneous and Sedimentary rocks later in the unit, and that they are learning about

Metamorphic rocks today.

2. Ask the students if they know what "morph" means. Give an example if needed.

(e.g. The caterpillar morphed into a butterfly.) Explain that morph means to

change into something else. Tell the class that metamorphic rocks are rocks that

have been changed by heat and pressure. The heat comes from volcanoes and

other hot rocks beneath the Earth's surface. The pressure comes from the layers

of rock that press down on layers below them. The minerals in the rocks change

to form a new rock. Tell them that they are going to do an activity today that will

show them how metamorphic rocks are formed.

3. Before you begin the activity, ask the students, "What are some things that go in

a salad?" (lettuce, tomatoes, etc.) Write the ingredients on the board as they

name them. Ask them if the ingredients are the same after the salad is made, or

do they change? (they stay the same) Ask them, "What goes in a cake?" (flour,

sugar, milk, eggs, etc.) Ask them if the ingredients are the same after the cake is

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baked. (no, it forms a new substance) Ask them how baking a cake is like making metamorphic rocks. (The ingredients change to make something new.) 4. Tell students that metamorphic rocks form from the other two types of rocks (igneous and sedimentary), and from other metamorphic rocks. 5. Pass out Changing Rocks Activity Sheet (Appendix I) to each student, along with glue, scissors, and crayons. Pass out the Changing Rocks worksheet (Appendix H). 6. On the Changing Rocks Activity Sheet, have the students use crayons to lightly color the LIMESTONES gray, the SHALES green-gray, and the SANDSTONES light red. (Lightly shading with the side of a crayon works well.) Cut out the six colored cubes. 7. Have the students use glue to glue one LIMESTONE on the number 1 box on the Changing Rocks worksheet. Glue one SHALE square on the number 3 box on the Changing Rocks worksheet. Glue one SANDSTONE square on the number 5 box on the Changing Rocks worksheet. Walk around while students are doing this to make sure that the rocks are getting glued in the correct boxes. 8. Have students pick up the remaining LIMESTONE square. Have them hold it up so that you can do a quick check to make sure they have the correct square. Tell them that they are going to change the limestone into marble. 9. Have them wad up the LIMESTONE square into a tight ball in their hand. Have them press on the ball to represent pressure and make creases. 10. Now have them open and spread the square out flat. Have them rub the side of a black crayon over the square. This represents heat and shows the crease patterns. The new MARBLE should have dark veins. Have them glue the MARBLE in the number 2 box, on the Changing Rocks worksheet, next to LIMESTONE. 11. Now tell the students to hold up the SHALE square. Do a quick check to make sure they all have the correct square. Tell them that they are going to change the shale into slate. 12. Have the students fold the SHALE square like an accordion, with back and forth folds. You may want to demonstrate this for them. This represents the pressure. After they have folded the square, have them unfold it, and spread it out flat. They need to lightly rub the side of a black crayon over the square to represent heat. The crease marks represent the shale's layers. Have them glue the new SLATE square onto number 4 box on the Changing Rocks worksheet, next to SHALE. 13. Have the students hold up the SANDSTONE square. Tell them that they are going to change the sandstone into quartzite. Have them crush the square in their hands gently, but not wad it into a ball. This represents pressure. Then have them unfold the square and lightly rub the side of a black crayon over the cube to represent heat. This shows the crease patterns. Have them glue it into the number 6 box on the Changing Rocks worksheet. 14. Walk around the class and check the worksheets to make sure they were completed correctly. 15. Special needs: Prepare in advance, Changing Rocks Worksheet (Appendix H) with the first set of rocks already on the sheet. 16. Extension: Challenge students to collect as many different kinds of metamorphic rocks as they can. Invite them to label each with a description and display the collection in the classroom. Compare rocks students found. E. Assessment/Evaluation 1. Students' proper completion of the Changing Rocks Activity Sheet (Appendix I).

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Lesson Four: Igneous Rock (two days, day 1-45 minutes, day 2- 30 minutes)

A. Daily Objectives

1. Concept Objective(s)

a.

Students understand the processes and interactions of Earth's systems

and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space.

b. Understand common properties, forms, and changes in matter & energy.

2. Lesson Content

a. Rocks

i.

Formation and characteristics of igneous rocks. (Adapted from

the Core Knowledge Sequence pg. 105)

3. Skill Objective(s)

a. The student will create a story using facts about igneous rocks.

b. The student will describe how an igneous rock is formed.

B. Materials

1. Paper and pencil for each child

2. Identifying Rocks Fact Sheet (Appendix J) per student

3. One small box with lid for demonstration

4. Enough marbles to fill the bottom of the box without over lapping

C. Key Vocabulary

1.

Igneous Rock: rock formed of molten magma from deep within the Earth or

from lava on the surface

2. Magma: molten rock beneath the surface of the earth

3. Lava: hot melted rock that comes out of an erupting volcano or a crack in the

Earth's surface

4. Obsidian, Granite, Pumice, and Basalt: Refer to definition of the Identifying

Rocks Fact Sheet (Appendix J)

5. Solid: a substance with a definite shape

6. Molecule: the smallest bit into which a compound can be divided

7. Autobiography: the story of a person's own life written by himself

8. Biography: a true, written story about a person's life

D. Procedures/Activities

Day 1

1. Begin by asking students if they remember what the three types of rocks are.

Review metamorphic rocks from yesterday and ask them if they can identify how

metamorphic rocks are formed. Explain to them that today they will be learning

about igneous rocks.

2. Tell the students that rocks are classified according to how they were formed.

Rocks that are formed from cooling lava or magma are called igneous rocks.

Write Igneous on the board.

3. Explain to the students that igneous rocks are formed when magma, or melted

rock, from deep inside the Earth rises and cools. Tell them that this cooling may

happen below the surface or on the Earth.

4. Explain that when magma cools slowly below the surface, the igneous rock

formed may have large crystals, which are very easy to see. Other igneous rocks

form on the Earth's surface and cool more quickly. Their crystals are usually

extremely small. Tell them that igneous rocks are usually not layered. They may

have air holes in them. Or they may be glasslike.

5. Tell them that some common igneous rocks are Obsidian, Granite, Pumice, and

Basalt. Refer to Identifying Rocks Fact sheet (Appendix J) for information on

each type of rock.

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